Grave filler



F. A, HExsE 2,023,733

GRAVE FILLER Filed NOV. 18, 1933 4 SheebS--Sheet l F. A. HElsE22,023,736

GRAVE FILLER Filed Now/'(18, 1953 4 sheets-sheet 2 Hmmm * Mvm nec. w,w35. FA A HHSE 2,023,730

GRAVE FILLER Filed Nov. 18, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 es. i0, E935. I F. A.HElsE 2,023,730

. GRAVE FILLER Y Filed Nov. 18, l933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 10,1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y '2,023,730 GRAVE FILLER FrederickAdam Heise, Luling, lllfeir. Application November 1s, 1933, serial No.698,696 eclaims. (c1. 298-24) This invention relates to a grave ller andlhas for an object to .provide an improved grave filler which isespecially useful in quickly and easily filling a grave or otherexcavation at the proper time.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grave ller consistingof a specially constructed dump Wagon or cart which will receive thedirt as the grave or excavation is made and will quickly and easilydischarge the dirt back into the grave or excavation when the grave orexcavation is to be lled. v

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a grave fillerwhich receives the surface soil .in a separate hopper from the hopper inwhich it receives the sub-surface soil so that the surface soil can bedischarged last on the top of the excavation or grave, thereby providinga fertile surface forplanting flowers or other greenery on theexcavation or grave. p

Still a further object of this invention is to provide agrave ller whichis adapted to receive the dirt as the grave. isbeing dug and then, afterthe coin is placed in the grave, to quickly discharge the dirt back intothe grave, thus enabling the funeral procession to complete itsoperations at the grave in a few moments, which is especially desirableduring bad weather.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grave filler having aremovable, adjustable cover for inclement or rainy weather.

Still a further object .of this invention is to provide a grave llerespecially useful in small graveyards where there is no professionalgrave digger or filler present, thusenabling the grave to be filledquickly and easily by the friends and relatives of the deceased.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, as will hereinafter becomeapparent, this invention comprises the construction, combinations andarrangements of parts, hereinafter set forth, claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention showing the same inoperating position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, the dirt being removed to clearlyshow the parts therein.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the grave ller.

Fig. 4 is a rear View of the grave filler.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the fabric connection tothe body of the vehicle.

Fig'. 8 is an enlarged perspective of a fragment of. the agitator.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the top portion of Y the invention showinga covering mounted thereon.

Fig. 10 is -a plan viewof Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an end view looking from the left of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of one of thesupporting posts. 10 Fig. 13 is an enlarged section view taken on theline I3-I3 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 is a view looking from 'the right of Fig. 13. y

There is shown at IIl the'grave filler constitut- 15 ing this invention.This grave ller I0 comprises a body I I mounted on a pair of rear wheelsI2 and front wheels I3, the rear wheels I2 being mounted on a rear axleI4 and the front wheels I3 being mounted on a front axle I5, the axle 20I5 being secured to a fth wheel I5 for supporting the front end of thebody I I. A handle I'I secured to the fifth wheel I5 is used in pullingand steering the grave filler I0.

Formed within thebody II of the grave filler 2.3 Il) are two hoppers I8and I9, the hop-per, I8 having a rearwardly inclined wall 20 at thebottom and of which is hinged a movable floor 2 I, the movable floor 2lbeing hinged downwardly at the hinge 22 and moved from opened and closedSO position and vice versa by meansof the rod 23. The operating rod 23for the lower iioor 2| passes through a slot 24 in the rear wall of thebody II and is held on a catch 25 when it is desired to retain the floor2| in the forward position. 3.7

The hopper I9 consists of a wall 23, to which is hinged as at 2 a bottomoor 28 held in closed position by a rod 29 securable to a catch 30, thecatch 39 being secured on the rear wall 3l of the body II. An agitator32 consisting of a rod 4I) journaled in the opposite side wall of thebody II and a plurality of fingers 33` therein is operable by a handle38 outside of the body I I. v

In operation the grave ller I9 is placed so that its wheels I2 and I3are on board tracks 39, 45 each track 39 ending in a stop L19. Thetracks 39 are so placed that the stops 49 are positioned at the edge ofthe grave or excavation 34 that is being dug. 'Ihe grave filler is thenmoved along tracks 39 so that it will not overhang the 50 grave orvexcavation 34 being dug.

Both floors 2I and 28 of hoppers I8 and I9 are placed in closed positionby means of their rods 23 and 29. The upper or fertile soil that is rstdug from the excavation is placed in the 55 hopper I 9, the hopper I9being of such a size that it will just contain the average amount ofupper or fertile soil necessary for growing grass, flowers, or otherarticles that may afterward be planted on the grave.

'I'he hopper I8 will be of such capacity that it will just containsufficient amount of dirt necessary to complete the lling of the grave.As the grave is dug, the dirt below the upper surface is shoveled intothe hopper I8 until the hopper i8 is filled, then an additional amountof dirt is removed equal to the volume that will be occupied by thecasket or cofn 35. When the grave 34 is thus prepared, the filled-upgrave filler ID is drawn away from the edge of the grave about 3 feet orso, leaving the area oi the grave 34 available for the funeral services.

When the services are completed and the casket 35 is in position at thebottom of the grave 34, the grave ller is moved backward along thetracks 39 against the stop lio. A screen 3 is then placed about thedischarge `spouts of the hopper I8 byrmeans of the prepared eyes 37receiving the hooks 558 on the screen 36. The rod 23 is then detachedvfrom the catch 25, per mitting the floor 2i of the hopper 2d to dropdownwardly to the broken line position shown at 2| in Fig. 5, allowingthe dirt in hopper I8 to fall downwardly into the grave 34 over thecasket 35. Should this dirt from the hopper I8 become packed or for anyreason fail to fall through the discharge spout so formed, the handle 38of the agitatorz is rotated causing the prongs of fingers. 35 to agitateVthe dirt and fall through the dischargespout. When the hopper E8 isempty, the hopper i9 is then opened by detaching the holding rod 29 ofthe iioor 28 from the catch 39, thus allowing this dirt to similarlyfall through the discharge spout onto the top of the grave, thusproviding the usual mound conventionally formed on the top of the graveand likewise providing fertile soil for planting iiowers, grass, orother shrubbery thereon.k

In order to keep the earth in the hoppers I 8 and I9 dry in case orrainy or inclement weather, rings 4I are provided to receive and`support the poles 43 of an adjustable cover or roof 46, which may beplaced thereover, thus preventing 'the earth in the hoppers from cakingand becoming hard to dislodge therefrom.

Each pole Sis provided with a plurality ofV apertures S5 which willremovably receive a dowel pin 11G, the pin it cooperating with either ofthe supporting rings i and thus hold the pole rat the desired height.

The upper end of the pole 43 is provided with a universally adjustableend GT secured thereto by adjustable sections i8 and wing nuts 49 andi), the wing nut 19 beingat right angles tol the wing nut 50.

The pole end il? is secured to a plate 5I, secured to the framework 52of the roof 4. It is thus possible to adjust the roof M to anyfdesiredangle, such as shown at dei' and 44, thus protecting therearth in thegrave ller irrespective of which direction `the rain may be coming from.This grave filler provided by this invention is ybeen completed whilethe funeral procession is this invention.

intended to be used as one of the tools about a cemetery or graveyard inpreparing graves and lling graves, and is especially useful in smallcemeteries or graveyards where there are no professional grave diggersemployed and where 5 the job of digging and lling the grave must be doneby the friends and relatives of the deceased, thus enabling the grave tobe lled much more quickly after the iuneral ceremonies have stillpresent, as is often necessary in such cases. The novel features and theoperation of this device will be apparent from the foregoingdescription. While the device has been shown and the structure describedin detail, it is obvious that this is not to be considered limited tothe exactY form disclosed and that any changes may be made thereinwithin the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ofHaving thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, whatis claimed is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a grave ller comprising a wagon or cartbody, wheels supportably mounting said cart body, a hopper in i; saidcart body comprising a rearwardly inclined front wall, a floor hinged tosaid front wall, means for holding said loor in closed position, asecond hopper formed within said rst mentioned hopper, said secondhopper `comprising an in- 3o clined second front wall and a second iloorhingedly secured to said second front wall, and means for detachablyholding said second iloor in closed position, said second hopperdischarging through the opened floor of said first discharged hoppersaid second floor being of substantially the same area as said rst iloorand being located substantially vertically-above said first floor,whereby the contents of said second hopper may be dischargedsubstantially vertically onto the discharged contents of the rst hopper.

2. As an article of manufacture, a grave ller comprising a wagon or cartbody, said wagon or cart body vincluding opposite side walls and a rearwall, means supportably and movably mount; 45V

ing said cart body, a main hopper formed in said cart body comprising incombination a rear-` wardly inclined front wall with said opposite side`walls and said rear wall, said inclined front wall and said rear walland opposite side walls forming a discharge spout at the bottom thereof,an i openable closure means for said discharge spout, a secondary hopperformed within said rst hopper, said secondary hopper comprising asecondary front wall in ccoperation with said same rear wallv and saidsame opposite side walls, a secondary openable closure means at thebottomY of said secondary, hopper, said secondary closure means beingo'f substantially the same area as said main hopper closure means andbeing located substantially vertically above said main hopper closuremeans whereby the contents of said secondary hopper may be dischargedsubstantially vertically over the discharge contents of said mainhopper.

FREDERICK ADAM HEISE.

